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Miami Marlins name 2013 Major League coaching staff

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MIAMI – The Miami Marlins today announced they have finalized manager Mike Redmond’s 2013 coaching staff, naming four new coaches and returning two coaches from 2012. Rob Leary has been named bench coach, Chuck Hernandez has been named pitching coach and Tino Martinez has been named hitting coach. Perry Hill, who coached for the Marlins from 2003-06 and in 2011, has been named first base/infield coach. Returning from 2012 are third base/base-running coach Joe Espada and bullpen coach Reid Cornelius. Also, Jeffrey Urgelles returns as the Marlins bullpen coordinator. The announcements were made by Marlins President of Baseball Operations Larry Beinfest.

Leary, entering his first season as a Major League bench coach, rejoins the Marlins after serving as the Indians minor league field coordinator in 2012. He spent the 2010-11 seasons as the Red Sox Major League coaching staff assistant, after seven seasons as the Red Sox minor league field coordinator (2003-09) and one (2002) as their minor league catching coordinator. Prior to that, he spent seven seasons in the Marlins organization, working as catching coordinator (1995-96), minor league field coordinator (1997-98), director of field operations (1999-2000) and Major League advance scout (2001). Leary, who played five minor league seasons in the Expos organization, began his coaching career as a player/coach with single-A Rockford in 1990. He then managed Rockford in 1991-92 and single-A West Palm Beach in 1993-94.

Hernandez, who has 31 seasons of professional experience, has spent the last two years as an assistant coach at the University of South Florida. He last worked in professional baseball as the pitching coach for the GCL Phillies in 2010. Prior to that, Hernandez had two stints as a Major League pitching coach, with Detroit (2006-08) and Tampa Bay (2004-05). He coached in the Rays organization for seven years (1997-2003) following 11 years (1986-96) coaching in the Angels organization, including four-plus seasons as the Major League pitching coach. Hernandez pitched for five seasons in the minor leagues with the Yankees (1979-83) and White Sox (1983).

Martinez enters his first season as a Major League coach after four years as a Special Assistant to the General Manager with the New York Yankees. A four-time World Series champion, he retired from his 16-year Major League career in 2006 with a career .271 average, 339 home runs and 1,271 RBI in 2,023 games with Seattle (1990-95), New York-AL (1996-2001; 2005), St. Louis (2002-03) and Tampa Bay (2004). An All-Star in 1995 and 1997, Martinez won a Silver Slugger Award in 1997, finishing second in the AL MVP balloting that year. He appeared in the post-season eight times, including five World Series.

Hill rejoins the Marlins as first base/infield coach, the same position he held from 2003-06 and in 2011. The 2013 season will be his 17th season as a Major League coach and his 27th as a professional coach. In 2003, under Hill, the Marlins infield finished with a franchise-best .987 fielding percentage.

Espada returns for his fourth season as the team’s third base coach. He enters his eighth season with the Marlins, joining the organization in 2006 as hitting coach at single-A Greensboro, before stints as hitting coach at single-A Jupiter (2007) and minor league infield coordinator (2008-09).

Cornelius, entering his fourth season as the club’s bullpen coach, begins his 11th season in the Marlins organization. He began his Marlins coaching career in 2003 as double-A pitching coach and returned to that post for the 2008-09 seasons after five campaigns as the Jupiter pitching coach. He appeared in 45 games in the Majors, compiling an 8-17, 4.91 mark with Montreal (1995), New York-NL (1995) and Florida (1999-2000).